Psychotropic Medication Refusal: Reasons and Patients′ Perception at a Secure Forensic Psychiatric Treatment Centre

Abstract

Poor adherence to prescribed medication regimens can undermine the effectiveness of medications. This study was conducted to determine the demographic profile of forensic psychiatric inpatients refusing medications and to identify the reasons for refusal. Data were collected through interviews using a questionnaire including Drug Attitude Inventory-10. Medication refusal was more common among Aboriginals (68%, n = 34) than Caucasians (32%, n = 16) and was highest among the patients 21-30 years of age (44%, n = 22). Antisocial personality disorder and substance use disorder featured prominently among patients refusing medications. The main reasons for medication refusal were inconvenience (34%, n = 17) followed by side effects (22%, n = 11), ineffective medication (20%, n = 10), illness-related (16%, n = 8), and no reasons (8%, n = 6). Antipsychotic medications topped the list of the major classes of medications refused followed by Antidepressants and Mood Stabilizers.